Orange Stays on the Ground and Runs Past Garden Grove

GARDEN GROVE —  Orange scored twice in the fourth quarter as the visiting Panthers ground out a 21-0 victory against host Garden Grove Thursday night in a nonleague game.

The Panthers got touchdown runs from Joaquin Soto and Chance Perry in the fourth quarter. The Orange defense recorded its first shutout of the year. Orange (2-3) held Garden Grove (1-4) to only 92 yards in total offense for the game and three yards in the first half.

The Panthers were able to run the ball effectively. Orange racked up only 167 yards in total offense, but 165 of those came on the ground. Soto carried the ball 10 times for 61 yards and two touchdowns and Perry rushed 15 times for 85 yards.

Soto scored on a one-yard run that extended the Panther lead to 14-0 and Perry finished the scoring with a 20-yard burst with 2 minutes 46 seconds remaining in the game.

Garden Grove’s best chance to score came in the third quarter, when quarterback Rick Welty hooked up with Matt Revelle for what appeared to be a 81-yard scoring play. But it was called back because of a clipping penalty. Two plays later, Welty’s pass was intercepted by Derald Deason.

Defensive Back Jon Kobus set up the Panthers’ first-half touchdown with an interception. Soto later ran 12 yards for the only first-half score to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead at halftime.